Informal Survey - What do you feed and why?

[cluckcluckgirl]

I feed layer feed 16% pellets not fermented (Nutrena Country Feed) and scratch every other day. Food is non-medicated and not registered organic. I also feed table scraps like baked potato, maybe some leftover meat, and steamed vegetables. I do not use oyster shell because they refuse to touch it except to dump it all out, I tried.

 

[chickadoodles]

I feed 27% game bird starter for my poults and at 3 wks. I start giving them a little grits or cornbread just a tsp. and then at a month I start giving them turkey delight mixed in with their feed. It is a mix of seeds with cracked up corn in small pieces in it. And some greens and grass.

For chickens I give them grower/ finisher with oyster shell free choice. They along with the turkey get all the house hold scraps except what we feed the dogs.
All my birds get turkey delight as a treat and some oats or wheat when I have it to sprout with some boss. I also grow extra stuff in the garden for the birds. They get pears or any fruit we have that falls on the ground and banana peels.

 

[tntchix]

I feed starter/grower and free feed oyster shell. BOSS-sprouted or not, and lots of kitchen veggie scraps.

 

[UrbanFarmOC]

My backyard flock of 10 get Scratch & Peck Grower (organic, non GMO) that they get free choice. I also serve them the same feed fermented 1x a day. On occasion they get organic scratch from Modesto Mills. They free range all day in my backyard, where there are oyster shells scattered around. For an urban/ suburban house in SoCal, we have a large backyard, so they really fill up on lots of bugs and greens from foraging, and from stealing greens from my vegetable garden.

ETA: they sometimes get table and kitchen scraps, if we have any, or if there are any restaurant leftovers when we dine out. We generally try to eat organic, non GMO and no to minimally processed foods as much as we can ourselves.

 

[perchie.girl]

I used Purena... Layena....had good results.

I raised Chickens and Guinea fowl.

The Guinea Keets got Turkey starter.
The Chicken Chix got Chick starter.

For supplementation because none of them could free range I used Catfish pellets.

Then for enrichment and again because they couldn't free range I gave each pen a flake of very leafy Alfalfa about once a week.

No crude analysis... sorry. Don't know the protein. Or mineral content. I just know they were healthy and The Wellsummers were egg laying machines.

I was getting ready to switch over to Flock raiser for everyone with free choice minerals and oyster shell. And of course catfish pellets and alfalfa.

I use scratch only as a treat or enticement to move them from one place to another.

deb

 

[Chris09]

I feed chicks a 30% game bird feed for 3 to 4 week then there put on my 20% "yard mix" and they stay on that mix unless there in a breeding pen, when there in the breeding pen they get a 20% breeder feed.

Treat are kept to a minimum and I feed a Scratch Grain (16 to 18% pigeon grain) and a bit of Bil-Jac frozen type dog food.

All feeds are non-medicated but I do medicate as needed.

 

[Kassaundra]

Fermented grains (oat, barley, wheat, corn), sprouted grains (oat, barley, wheat, boss), they wander over 1/3 acre eating whatever they find, garden scraps. Through the winter when they can't find bugs we give them a little game bird crumbles on top of the ferment.

 

[11squawkers]

I feed my flock Bar Ale Non-GMO layer crumble 16% protein and soy free, and since I also have guineas I mix it with a bag of Bar Ale gamebird either the 22% crumble or 24% mini pellets, whichever the feed store has in stock at the time.

On rainy days and on occasion I will give them Calf Manna either just thrown out like scratch or made into mash in a dish.
Their favorite treats are bananas, boss, and millet. And they free range for most of the day.
I save their egg shells to crush and give back to them instead of having to buy oyster shell. When the garden is going they get the excess like sqaush, broccoli, carrots, watermelon, etc.
In warmer weather I'll put a Savachick electrolyte pack in their water. Every once in a while, especially after rainy days when they've spent more than a day without free ranging I'll put Nutridrench or a Savachick probiotic pack in their water. They really are quite spoiled

 

[AmericanMom]

Any type of reply will help! Need as much data as possible!

Lay pellets?
Lay Crumble?
Maintence crumble?
Maintence pellet?
Percent Protein?
Scratch?
Non-GMO?
Non-soy?
Organic?
Medicated?
Non-medicated?
Table scraps?
Oyster shell?

Thanks for taking time to look at this! Any answer will be helpful.

-Kathy

Edited to add: Fermented?

I have Turkeys and Chickens that free range alittle over 1/2 acre.. I feed them All Purpose flock raiser pellets, the kind I buy is not less that 19% Protein. Once a week I take pure Oregano oil (about 12 drops) and mix that with 1/2 Vegetable or Canola oil. I then mix that into about 8-10 cups of the feed and pour it into the hanging feeder, I also will sprinkle about 2tbsp Cayenne pepper into it. I had a turkey hen that was showing signs of Cocci (sp) and was told by a herbalist and turkey farmer that this is what the big turkey producers feed to their flocks. Since starting them on this I have not had one more issue of sick birds. My birds also get free choice of Oyster shells on the side for the layers. I also throw out table scraps. AVC in one of the water containers. they also get a 5 grain scratch treat each morning

I do not use chick starter nor medicated feeds. I have started the baby turkeys and the chicks I hatch with them on the game bird starter, 27% protein (crumbles) From what I understand I want them on that for a few months then they will switch to the All Purpose. They also get chick corn or grit until they go to the grow out pen I also give free choice AVC in one of the water containers and always change out water every day.

I am also raising Cornish Fryers and have them on the all purpose crumbles , they are 2 weeks old. We intend to butcher at 6 and 7 weeks.

 

[PetRock]

Lay pellets?
Lay Crumble?
Maintence crumble?
Maintence pellet?
Percent Protein?
Scratch?
Non-GMO?
Non-soy?
Organic?
Medicated?
Non-medicated?
Table scraps?
Oyster shell?

Thanks for taking time to look at this! Any answer will be helpful.

-Kathy

King Freedom GMO free non-corn non-soy layer pellets 17% protein
King Freedom GMO free non-corn non-soy starter crumbles 20% protein
Non-medicated
Sprouted grains: black sunflower seed mix, wheat, barley, oats
Wet mash with 2/3 layer pellets, 1/3 starter crumbles and enriched with kelp powder, alfalfa leaves or powder, milk thistle seed powder, turmeric, red peppers
Assorted fruit and vegie scraps
Occasional table scraps
Oyster shell
Free range my 1/3 acre yard so whatever bugs and plants they can find